ARVADA, Colo. — Gerrard Flores died after a medical emergency while refereeing a wrestling tournament Sunday at Arvada West High School. Friends and family say Flores' impact on the Colorado sports community cannot be overstated.
"If you knew him, you loved him," Chad Cox told 9NEWS.
Flores grew up in Brush and coached and refereed multiple sports.
“I’d like to call him the ambassador of Brush," Cox said.
Cox first met Flores in high school.
"He was my best friend. He was the best man at my wedding. He’s been a part of everything that’s happened in my life,” Cox said.
It's easy to find a picture of Flores smiling, because Cox says that's just who he was.
"He had a zest and a joy that resounded any place he was. Within minutes of walking into a room or gym or arena you knew where Gerrard was.”
"He was just that guy. He could make you smile on a day where there was no room to smile. He could light up a room when there was no light," Brian Talmich told 9NEWS.
Talmich first met Flores through his father. They refereed together, and Flores became his uncle who wasn't actually blood-related, but then Flores introduced Talmich to his niece.
“I married his niece, Monica," Brian said.
Flores officiated their wedding.
"The "funcle," the fun uncle, because that's what he was to us," said Talmich, "He was the glue that kept the family together."
Cox said if you invested any time in trying to get to know Gerrard Flores, he would give you double that. That extended to wrestling matches.
“He made sure when they won he raised their hand but he made sure to ask them where their parents were, where their family was, because he tried to make it the best for that kid, every kid, whether it was first time he officiated them or the 100th time — that’s just the guy he was”
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